A few hours before the arrival of the delegation, PM Conille had submitted his resignation as Prime Minister only four months after taking office. If the appointment of PM Conille had proved difficult, naming a new Prime Minister could be even more challenging considering the divergent stands of the executive and the legislative branches; the recent confrontation between President Martelly and Parliament over possible dual nationality of the President and key members of government had peaked and taken policy implementation to a standstill.
The delegation, that together with Club de Madrid Members Figueres and Quiroga included Deputy SG María Elena Agüero and Senior Program Officer Nacho Espinosa, met with both Presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies as well as with Minister Lamothe, recently designed as official candidate for the Primature, outgoing Prime Minister Conille and Interior Minister Mayard-Paul, amongst others.
The Club de Madrid’s message during the mission was clear: political stability is a must and a prerequisite for investment. In a working session convened by the Presidential Advisory Council for Economic Growth and Investment and the Club de Madrid, with the financial support of the Banque National d’Haiti, President Figueres shared the Costa Rican experience in eco-tourism while Pres. Quiroga shared Bolivian expertise in mining. Both sectors have great potential for growth in Haiti, but for that potential to become a reality, rule of law and property rights, a sound regulatory framework, sector policies and sound macro-economic fundamentals are essential and will only be achieved with political stability. To discuss relevant issues in mining and tourism the delegation held working meetings with Minister of Tourism Balmir and Secretary of State for Energy Jumau.
Important challenges remain. New senatorial and municipal elections, the enactment of the constitutional reform, the formation of a new CEP, and the definition of a new legislative agenda are all in the immediate future of Haiti’s political agenda. The Club de Madrid advocated before Haitian leaders and the members of the international community for an all-encompassing agreement to bring about the political stability necessary to harness Haiti’s economic potential.
This was the seventh and last mission of the Global Leadership for Haiti’s Reconstruction, a Club de Madrid initiative implemented over the last 20 months with the financial support of the European Union. The Club de Madrid is currently seeking new partnerships for continued action in Haiti.
